Your Bondi Surf Club Surfer – 7 March 2019

The Bondi Surfer No. 85

7 March 2019

Intro & Welcome

This week, a number of our members are travelling up to the NSW state titles. When we talk about competition, it’s easy to forget that many of our competitors also contribute heavily across the Club in other sections, including Patrol captains, office bearers and directors of the Club. Thank you to all the managers, coaches and competitors that put in an extraordinary amount of time.

Our social team have been busy and trivia night looks to be sold out! Tickets to the gala ball are on sale, so get your tickets soon before they too are sold out. Tables are of 8; feel free to bring along partners, family and friends.

March means the end of Season isn’t far away. Come down and take part in the weekly surf race at 10.30am. Peter Quartly advises me that he has been running the race since the Club’s early days. Maybe if you are nice enough to him he will give you a good handicap. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work for me. Hope to see many more of you on the start line in the next few weeks.

Marketing & Sponsorship

Reminder: Eat a burger, support your Club

In March, we are a Local Matters partner at Grill’d. Every burger sold comes with a Local Matters token,that you can place in a Bondi Surf Club jar. If we get the most tokens, the Club can get $300. Tell Grill’d fans to vote for us!

Member Benefits

The Feel Good Studio

As we welcome in a new Autumn season, the days will be getting shorter and cooler, and the busy summer months will fall behind us. Take the opportunity to reflect, relax and recharge yourself with The Feel Good Studio.

They specialise in the treatment of stress, overwhelm, anxiety and phobias, helping you to feel calm, happy and restored quickly. Justine who runs the Studio is a therapist and meditation teacher who creates deeply relaxing retreats, workshops and soon to be released online products to keep you floating along in life.

The best part of it is that Clubbies get 10% off therapy treatments, because Justine wants to support the Club ‘to be of service to the community’.

Not sure who offers great Clubbie discounts? Look for the Bondi sticker in shop windows!

Don’t’ forget to check out the Member benefits poster in the Club to discover new businesses supporting us.

Surf Sports

NSW State Championships are underway

The 2019 championships kicked off last weekend with the Lifesaving Championships.

Congratulations to our Champion Lifesaver Competitors, who competed on a windy, choppy day at Swansea Belmont SLSC. The team brought home 3 Medals for Bondi and lots of fourth places. Kristy McIntyre and Mark Fabik won Silvers and qualified for Aussies.

A big thank to Mark, Kristy and Max for training and leading the team throughout the Season, and to Phil and Angela Schacht, who assisted during the competition.

Good luck to our Masters team who are competing on Wednesday and Thursday, and to our Open team who are competing from Friday to Sunday.

Stan & Basil McDonald Relay

Bondi and North Bondi Surf Lifesaving Clubs will face off in the 77th annual Stan and Basil McDonald Memorial Relay, commonly known as the “Stan Mac relay”, on Sunday, 24 March.

The 20-person swim relay will be hosted by Bondi. A big contingent of supporters from both Clubs are expected to cheer on the two teams at the beach from 2.00pm and show their spirit at the post event celebration from 4.00pm inThe Blue Room.

Bondi has been set the task of returning to the winner’s circle for the first time since the 2011-12 Season, with North Bondi winning the relay for the past five years.

First held in the 1942-43 season, the relay, a symbol of supremacy on the famous beach, has been won 43 times by North Bondi and on 33 occasions by Bondi.

Blue Room Surf Races

Week 23- 3 March Results are here.

Fellow Surfers

I got to the beach at 7.30 and Pepe had the Patrol humming, with the buoys going out by 8.00 The morning could not have been better, with the sun biting into unsuspecting flesh, a small wave hitting a wall of humanity, which could not be contained within the flagged area.

Guest helpers were Mark (A Grade recording) and Bruce and Jacob, who took the shots that give these jottings some memorability.

Jacob again pushed and cajoled members to go into the Tube Race. Other than getting a bum deal from the Starter, again he was in the money. He would make a great Race Secretary, in the not too distant future, when he finds he has time on his hands.

This weekend was Round Two of the Ron Turner. We saw great numbers in both races, including a number of new faces, who were warmly welcomed. Hope they get into the habit and we see them in the coming weeks as regulars (of whom we have quite a few).

A Grade was a tight race; with B Grader Cameron leading in a strong field. Jessie was not far behind. Anthony was third from a very fast finishing Dave, who is now into full recovery mode we look forward to bigger and better results in the coming weeks, Dave.

B Grade saw Tim, in his first swim of the Season, come through the pack and beat a slew of newcomers up the beach. Second was Margaret, doing one better than Dave. Kim followed on her heels.

The Tube Race was very competitive and a lot of fun, again thanks Jacob.

Next week, we join our sister Club at North’s, (more information below) for our second group swim of the Season. A very big thanks to Siobhan for all her work in bringing this to fruition. Remember, their A Grade swims first (so B Graders you will be needed to make sure they do not get into trouble). The Blue Room vouchers will be given out to winners. We will swim the course together, but have separate winners. I certainly will be there and look forward to your support.

To all, we will hold the tube race next week, but in front of our Patrol, after the surf races are concluded.

I really enjoy the fare at the Blue Room, and as Keiran is looking a little thin, will take him and R to dinner. Please join us for what is always a lively crowd and a great evening.

Again another great morning, only made possible by all those who came down & participated.

Last Bronze induction of 2018/19

Higher Awards

Under new management

It’s with great pleasure we can announce Higher Awards has a new manager!

Neil Collins will be taking on the role, working with our Office, trainers and assessors at both our Club and across the state to coordinate and promote our higher awards program for this and next season.

Neil is one of our Club’s top Lifesavers, is a proficient Gold Medallion, First Aid, Advanced Resuscitation, Spinal Management and Silver Medallion Beach Management holder. He is also a Bronze Medallion trainer, currently training as IRB crew.

And he’s a Professional Silent Disco dancer, so we are in great hands!

Not long until Gold assessment

Your Gold Medallion 800m swim time trails will be at Icebergs, 12:30pm on:

Office News

Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club is a Public Benevolent Institution seeking Expressions of Interest for its external auditor for the next 3 years. The Club’s financial year-end is 30 April and the appointment would be sought to commence for the 2019 year-end through to 2021 year-end, with options for extension at the Bondi Surf Club Board’s discretion.

EOI are sought from applicants with extensive audit experience in the not for profit sector, with surf lifesaving experience seen favourably.

If you are interested, please forward an EOI along with relevant information to